Chapter 23 – Hand Injury
The other party almost replied instantly:
[DCT-Stars: No.]
Cheng Che sent a gif of a little cat bowing and sheepishly asked, [DCT-Clear: Can I go back to sleep?]
[DCT-Stars: Yeah, come back if you want.]
That’s what he had been waiting for. Cheng Che uncovered the blanket, got up quietly, and left the room.
Peak slept soundly, unaware of anything.
He closed the door of Room 509. Across from it, Room 508’s door was open, with a reassuring figure standing at the entrance.
“Captain.”
“Hush…”
Lin Xingling held his hand and led him into the room, closing the door. The room was bright and spacious, with only a bed and a cabinet. It had a clear and cool atmosphere, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus.
“I’ll find a repairman tomorrow to fix the air conditioner in Room 506 so that you can move in tomorrow night.”
Cheng Che was stunned for a moment after hearing that, and finally shook his head. “No… I, I don’t… I promise to sleep honestly… I don’t want to be alone…”
He babbled on, not even understanding what he was saying.
Lin Xingling took off his glasses and put them back in the glasses case on the table. “No rush, take your time to explain.”
“I… I want to live… live with you.”
He didn’t want to live in someone else’s room, even if that Xiao Nuo had already left…
He had learned some things about the former marksman Xiao Nuo from Liu Ying’s side. He knew that they had a special bond, and for a moment, he felt that if he were to live in Xiao Nuo’s room, it would be like occupying someone else’s territory.
It would be better to live here with Stars. He could avoid his own sleeping habits as long as Stars didn’t mind.
Why would Lin Xingling mind? “Okay.”
After answering, he scrutinized him for a while, stroking his chin like a hamster. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you to buy some suitable sleepwear. We should also get a few sets of clothes.”
“No, no need…” Cheng Che didn’t want to trouble him. “I have clothes in my suitcase… and sleepwear too… huh?”
Do I have sleepwear and still want to borrow from Stars?
“Okay, good.” Lin Xingling pointed to the blanket inside the bed and smiled. “I was just thinking that our current sleepwear looks too similar, and I’m afraid we might wear the wrong one and make a joke, haha.”
Does that mean… I can still wear it in the future?
Cheng Che blinked his eyes and obediently went to the bed, pulling open the blanket. “No… your clothes are melon seeds, and mine… is fish.”
“The shorts are too similar.”
“The shorts… aren’t similar either. Here, you have a… little mouse.” Cheng Che reached out and poked his pants leg, lifting up his white shirt to reveal a small embroidered mouse on the pants.
Is this the insight of the future top marksman? Lin Xingling sighed.
His finger touched his leg through the pants… warm and soft… Cheng Che blushed and quickly withdrew his hand. “Because I have a… a cat here.”
He lifted his shirt to show him.
“Yeah.” Lin Xingling only glanced briefly, his gaze fully focused on his fair thigh, then turned his head away. “…It’s late, let’s go to sleep.”
“Okay.”
…
They turned off the lights and went to sleep. The room was quiet again, as empty as if he were still alone.
“Mmm?”
Cheng Che opened his eyes and listened to the sound of the wind outside when suddenly the light that lit up in front of him startled him, and he quickly closed his eyes.
“Don’t be afraid… it’s me.”
Opening his eyes, he saw Lin Xingling turning on a small blue-purple night light.
Cheng Che looked at him with doubt, moving his mouth but not saying anything.
“If you’re afraid of the dark, I’ll turn on a light for you,” Lin Xingling’s face was illuminated by the soft light, making him look particularly gentle. “Look, I’m here, I’ll protect you.”
“You’re really kind,” Cheng Che lowered his gaze, not looking at him, and replied with a soft “Mm.”
“Is there something on your mind?” Lin Xingling asked.
Then he lay down, wrapped in a blanket, and turned to sleep on his side, just in a position where he could see Cheng Che.
Cheng Che shook his head.
…After a few minutes, he spoke again, “Why… why did you stop playing jungle? It’s… such a pity… If it’s…”
He gave up on organizing his thoughts.
He looked up at Lin Xingling.
The blue eyes of the child were shining, like the stars in the sky, and also like a cat… like a little cat with round eyes staring at you in the middle of the night.
Lin Xingling smiled bitterly and answered truthfully, “I injured my hand, and now I’m in rehabilitation… I tried playing support, but it seems unlikely that I can go back to playing jungle.”
Injured… It wasn’t this serious in my previous life! In my previous life, didn’t I play jungle in the DCT starting lineup for the 2018 Autumn Split?
Cheng Che reached out without thinking and grabbed Lin Xingling’s hand. “Does it… does it hurt?”
Lin Xingling turned around and held his hand, patting it gently. “No, it doesn’t hurt, don’t worry.”
On the night of the World Championship Finals three years later, when Cheng Che missed a step on the stairs, he grabbed Lin Xingling’s clothes… but instead of saving him, they both fell together.
All he could do was use his hand to protect the back of Cheng Che’s head before landing.
He didn’t expect that after sacrificing himself to save someone, he wouldn’t hear the applause but instead died and was reborn.
He also didn’t expect that after the rebirth, he would bring the hand injury with him.
Lin Xingling:…
But it’s also good. It’s a chance to rewrite his life, which many people dream of.
Tsk, how many people wish for something like this?
The child asked, “From now on… you’ll, you’ll play support?”
Lin Xingling let go of his hand. “Yes.”
“And… can’t go back to… SYG? (Che)”
“Yes, why go back? It’s good here. We’ll work hard together and strive to make it to the KPL.” (Stars)
Why go back when the best jungler, the genius top laner, the champion mid laner, and the number one marksman coach are all here in the DCT team? Go back and listen to Chen En’s nagging?
Cheng Che’s eyebrows curved into a crescent moon. “Yes!”
This child’s temper… Lin Xingling let out a sigh of relief and coaxed him to sleep. “Sleep well. The temporary qualification matches for KPL are next Saturday. We’ll rely on you. Let’s work hard together and try to secure it.”
“Okay! Goodnight, Captain!”
“Sweet dreams… Clear…”
…
Although… Cheng Che admitted that Lin Xingling’s words made him feel great.
The way boys treat their idols is usually different from girls… for someone like Cheng Che, it’s about “admiring him means defeating him, surpassing him.”
Although he greatly respects Stars, he
still hopes that Stars will fall from the pedestal and need his protection… just like now.
In his previous life, the strongest jungle father could only play support due to his hand injury and became the hero who protected and led him to glory… so satisfying.
Cheng Che thought this way, turned over and faced away from Lin Xingling, not daring to make a sound but with a bright smile on his face.
Rest assured, Stars, I will protect you.
“Be careful… mmm… don’t move…”
The person behind him mumbled something. Cheng Che felt his body being restrained and a sense of pressure on his waist… it was Lin Xingling’s arm.
Lin Xingling, in a drowsy state, leaned closer, resting his chin on Cheng Che’s head and embracing him tightly.
Cheng Che was like a little ball held in his arms. He blinked and suddenly didn’t think that Stars’ sleeping posture was much better than Liu Ying or Wu You’s.
“Hu… hu… hu–“
Not only wasn’t it much better, he was nuzzling, moving around, and snoring… Stars was like a combination of Liu Ying, Wu You, and Brother Feng.
Cheng Che was speechless.
…Stars, what are you doing rubbing against me?
“Cap… Captain?”
“Snnnoorrreee…”
“You… Did I… push you away?”
“…”
“Well, don’t… don’t come closer… sleep now, Captain, sleep tight.”
“Huh…”
After a while, he turned over again and hugged Cheng Che.
“Tsk, why did you… hug me again?”
Cheng Che opened his phone and logged into the account called “Chengche,” clicked on the anonymous question interface, and posted a question:
[Help, is it safe to live with someone you’re not very familiar with? Should I get a single room?]
Three minutes after posting the question, he received five replies, all suggesting that he should get a single room.
[Dawn at 6:30 AM: Get a single room, why would you want to live with someone you’re not familiar with?]
[Half a Beacon: Listen to me, single room.]
[Sheep: Single, living alone outside, you should be careful about safety.]
…
Cheng Che was almost swayed by the responses.
“Hand… come out… hmm… be careful on the stairs…”
Lin Xingling rubbed his head with his chin, mumbling in a dreamy voice.
Cheng Che let him hold him without moving.
He thought that tomorrow night he should tie up his hands and feet.
Then he fell into a deep sleep.
In the early morning, Lin Xingling was awakened by the chirping of birds outside.
To save on electricity, he slept with only the window screens closed every night. It was cool, but the price was being disturbed by the birds in the morning.
“Yingying, jiujiu, jiji zhazha…”
Opening his eyes, Cheng Che was sleeping soundly in his arms.
Lin Xingling: ?
Can Clear be as clingy as Liu Ying? Does clinginess spread?
Deceptive behavior of the KPL’s first mid and marksman twin stars.
He gently placed Cheng Che back on the bed, covered him with a blanket, slowly got out of bed, and stood by the window, scaring away the birds.
The alarm clock showed 7:23 AM, still more than half an hour before it would ring.
He opened the social media app on his phone, and a pop-up message appeared.
[Anonymous User: Help, is it safe to live with someone you’re not very familiar with? Should I get a single room?]
Hmm… Lin Xingling looked at Cheng Che sleeping peacefully on his bed and thought that his little one probably didn’t have this kind of worry.
“…”
[Anonymous Reply: If you’re not very familiar, you still know each other, right? Do you think he’s a good person? If he’s a bad person, forget I said anything.If he’s a good person: It’s safe, cover yourself with a blanket and sleep peacefully.]
When Cheng Che woke up, he saw this anonymous reply to his question on his phone. After reading it, he tightly wrapped himself in his blanket and remained silent.
He didn’t get up either.